Femi Koya launches annual gig to celebrate Fela Kuti

Nigeria – Nigerian-born South African saxophonist and Afrobeat singer Femi Koya has launched an annual event that is intended to celebrate the life and music of the late Nigerian music legend Fela Kuti.

The inaugural event, titled Felacantation, will be held at Afro Bru in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 1 November. The event will only feature Koya and his nine-piece Afrobeat Big Band.

“I am inspired by the purity of Fela Kuti’s music, his legacy and what his music stood for,” Koya told Music In Africa. “To evoke that music is Felacantation which intends to preserve, modernise and sustain African music in general.

Asked how his concert differs from Felabration, Koya said: “Felacantation is a South African and diaspora project while Felabration is a Nigerian and diaspora initiative. Fela is one the fathers of Africa, any child can choose to celebrate the father in any form or style.

From a South African concept, this concert seeks to remind and conscientise everyone living in South Africa and the diaspora about ubuntu, African pride and renaissance.”

Koya said they would include more artists in the next Felacantation editions. “The Afrobeat Big Band is the only act performing at the first Felacantation but we will feature few instrumentalists in the band. I will ‘incantate’ the music spirit of Fela Kuti at the event with such songs like ‘Palava’, ‘Mr. Follow Follow’, ‘Water No Get Enemy’, ‘Shakara’, ‘Zombie’, ‘Colonial Mentality’ and ‘Teacher’.”

For more information about Felacantation, call on 0726216697/0730369031 or email afrobeatsa@gmail.com. Tickets to the event are available at the gate.